


The Journey of a Troubled Child

by Luckas_Silver (Twin_Quicksilver)



Category: Real Person Fiction
Genre: Apocalypse, Co-Written, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Mentions of Death, Multi, Original Character Death(s), Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Survival, The Author Regrets Nothing, Violence, Written On Reddit, Zombies, past trauma, subredditofthedead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-22
Updated: 2015-11-22
Packaged: 2018-05-02 20:19:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5262131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twin_Quicksilver/pseuds/Luckas_Silver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written and co-written by people on /r/subredditofthedead This is my first time doing an open Reddit story.<br/>~~~<br/>Sylvester Gold comes from a family of ex-military officers. His father's side of the family worked as Marines, Navy Seals, and some got jobs just working for the National Guard. His mother's side of the family were in the Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and also worked as fire fighters and policemen. After growing up with war stories and being told he had to survive by doing things, Sylvester made a decision that changed his life. He came out as being a gay transgen. Finally opening his world to others, Sylvester was met with a lot of backlash from his family and friends. Then it happened. The dead walked among man and he saw the people he knew kill one another. He went to his neighbour's bunker and got what he could carry before heading towards Sacramento. Now with only a ballistic knife, commando assault rifle, M4 carbine, limited MRE's, spare clothes, an emergency aid kit, five water bottles, three oil lamps, ammunition, lighter fluid, a tarpaulin, two frag grenades, flares, and a flare gun, Sylvester makes and loses friends before finally recording his experience and meeting new people.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Journey of a Troubled Child

**Author's Note:**

> To clarify his neighbour was dead and the bunker was common knowledge. He's only fifteen and wouldn't be able to hold it as his own so he took everything he could and left. He's still a girl physically, but cut his hair and dresses/acts like a guy. He's currently on his own for Chapter One and hopefully is joined by someone when he wakes up. If you wish to be involved with one of his memories message me and I'll add it in. Also, if you wish to join the story please subscribe to the subreddit and message me privately. Hope you enjoy!

****

Running from these things was getting me no where. I had to find some place to rest and eat before I became the next meal.

"Jake, why did you suggest this place? Why couldn't you just agree with me and head south?" I panted to myself as I remembered my dead friend.

We had been walking through this town, arguing over our next course of action, when I told him to shut up and hide behind a car. Since we had just been arguing he got upset and only raised his voice...he didn't make it. I shook my head and nearly tripped over a root in the forest. I ran between some trees and cried out as I cut myself on a low-hanging branch. I didn't dare touch it now. Not with my hands covered in the blood of my friend and the zombies I managed to kill in order to get away. I risked a look and felt queasy..it got me better than I thought it did.

"Don't you stop now, Sil. Don't you dare stop," I told myself as I panted. "You can't die now. Not after they gave their lives for yours so keep running."

I ran through the trees and brush until I saw it. An opening to a clearing that could mean life or death. I looked back at the group of zombies behind me and then I looked in front of me. I decided a clearing would mean too much of a risk and ran alongside it in the trees instead of going straight through it. I ran and tried to find a way out. I remembered something my dad used to tell me. Something about rising above a situation? It gave me an idea I had dismissed earlier, but it could be worth a shot. Only problem was finding a tree that I could actually climb. I ran along the clearing some more and heard a creek. I smiled softly to myself and ran towards the noise. It got louder and I broke through the trees to see a creek leading into a river. I looked behind me and saw the zombies were farther back. No chances. I looked down at river and followed the creek back up to where I was. I sighed and then took the quickest way down. I checked my backpack, and my satchel quickly before I jumped into the river. My eyes widened as I neared the water. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes as I straightened out and hit the water. I stayed under and opened my eyes gradually before swimming to shore. I broke the surface and coughed as I climbed ashore. I looked up and couldn't see zombies anywhere. I looked back up at where the creek was and the zombies that had followed me couldn't seem to find me. I calmed my breathing and got up shakily. I looked at my reflection in the water and washed my face off.

"That, was the dumbest thing you could have possibly done," I told my reflection. I took off my backpack and satchel to look for my first aid kit.

When I found it I washed off my arm and then bandaged it as best as I could. Once satisfied it wouldn't get infected I looked through my other things. My MRE's were fine, my water bottles were fine and nothing leaked, which meant the only things that got wet were some of the clothes I had taken from a Wal-Mart at that town. I sighed and repacked everything after I changed into some dry clothes from my backpack. I took a drink from an unopened bottle and felt more relaxed. I looked around the river and decided to follow it downstream. If I remembered correctly this should take me to another town. Assuming that the map I had viewed in the last one was accurate enough. Either I went from Redding to Chico or Redding to Eureka I wasn't about to complain. I needed to get somewhere at least and following any of the Californian rivers should take me somewhere. I just wouldn't know where until I got there.

By now it was time to travel with some height advantage. I climbed a redwood and started to scale them. It was hard and slowed me down quite a lot, but I got away from some stragglers by doing so. As it grew dark I set up a small camp and put some herbs into my lamp like my mom had taught me. She claimed burning lavender or other plants would help get rid of bugs. So I did this with two oil lamps I carried around in my satchel and set them above me as I stayed under my tarpaulin-tent improvisation. I ate one of my remaining MRE's and drank some water before I went to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be another long day.


End file.
